News
Chief advises rural fire departments to train for animal rescues
A rural fire department chief says firefighters already train for farm rescues involving people, but not enough are prepared for large animal rescue. Jerry Minor from Pittsville, Wisconsin is a farm safety and rescue trainer. “Fire departments get called to the cow in the manure pit or the horse that fell through the grating, or whatever it happens to be. It’s even more specialized than some of these other things that we go to.”
Minor tells Brownfield that getting farm animals out of danger is also a human danger most departments are not prepared for, but they should train for. “I’ve known departments to say, no, we’re not going to do that, we’re not going to get involved in that, it’s too dangerous. The problem is, if we don’t go, somebody in that family is going to go and then we’re going to be back there in twenty minutes or better taking some father or mother out the water or manure pit, or whatever it happens to be.”
Minor says their recent training for first responders covered some of the issues with Dr. Howard Ketover from Wisconsin Large Animal Rescue, and next year’s on-farm training will include animal rescue instruction for firefighters.
THANK you for covering this training event and the need for training in large animal rescues! Dr. Ketover is doing great work in this area – and there is tons of resources related to TLAER out there if needed.
Its not just about the animal – as he implies – it is about the PEOPLE associated with animals as well.
Dr. Rebecca Husted, TLAER